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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2012-09-20, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2012.New experience for hardware shopping in Brussels With Oldfield Hardware having closed earlier this year, two couples from the Brussels area decided to fill the niche left over. With the hopes of keeping, and expanding, a needed store in Brussels, Mike and Michelle Dauphin and Andy and Sarah Overholt took over the store on May 15 and proceeded to buy it on June 15 and will be opening Huron Country Hardware at the location on Sept. 22. “We wanted to keep a business like this going,” Sarah said. “Brussels needs it.”The goal isn’t just to keep acentury-old location running, but tobring in more products and focus on what the four agreed to call rural opportunities. “We really feel we can bring something different to the table,” Andy said. The store is supplied by TSC Country Pro but is not a franchise store, instead being a locally owned store with their own flyers, sales and offers but carrying the same quality and brands that TSC stores do. “The opportunity arose to work with TSC Country Pro and it seemed to be a really good fit,” Mike said. The foursome said that they were interested in working together and in keeping the services and goods that Oldfield Hardware offered, like hunting and fishing licences and the Sears pick-up location in the area. Continued item lines will also be featured including the “Melissa and Doug” line of toys. “We’re all local, we’ve each been here for at least 20 years,” Michelle said. Changes at the location have been extensive, according to the group, including interior renovations of the store and bringing in new lines to keep the inventory fresh and interesting. This was all done to clearly indicate that things, while similar to before, were also different. “It really was for a fresh start,” Michelle said. “It’s a new look, new faces, newly renovated... it’s really anew everything.”New goods available include newtoy lines, more rural and country life items, workwear and pet and bird feeds. “We wanted to be more than just a general hardware store,” Andy said. “We wanted to be what the community needs and the community has a lot of farming in it. TSC was a pretty good fit for that, they have items sought after by farmers and a pretty good selection.” Mike said that they should be able to order items in as well if customers are interested. The big thing that the group feels people will need to experience is the new store itself. “People should come in and experience the store for themselves, I think they’ll be very surprised,” Andy said. A grand opening will be held on Saturday, Sept. 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. featuring a free barbecue. The store’s hours have also been extended, open now from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. While Mike, Michelle and Andy will each bring their own skills to the business, they will also each keep their current jobs. Andy is a machinist, Michelle is a painter and Mike manages Dauphin’s Feed and Supply Ltd. in Dungannon and Walton. Sarah, Mike’s sister, has decided to manage the store and be there full time. Keeping it local Two Brussels couples decided that they didn’t want to see downtown Brussels go without a hardware store when Oldfield Hardware announced they were closing up shop. From left: Andy and Sarah Overholt and Michelle and Mike Dauphin decided to take over the existing storefronts of Oldfield’s but re-invent the interior to have a fresh start. (Denny Scott photo) By Denny Scott The Citizen Barnim feels CH kept in the dark about official plan Central Huron Councillor Brian Barnim feels he and council have been waiting too long for answers to questions they asked about Huron County’s official plan. At the Sept. 10 meeting of Central Huron Council, Barnim asked Chief Administrative Officer Peggy Van Mierlo-West if council had heard back from legal counsel regarding questions that had been asked in June; the answer was no. Van Mierlo-West said that she has been “continually calling” since she began last month and that acting CAO Jack McLachlan had also been persistant in following up on the questions before he departed in August. “This has been far too long,” Barnim said, “and we’re paying the bill.” Barnim said he couldn’t believe that the questions submitted by Central Huron in June had yet to be answered. “I think we should put (our solicitor) on notice,” Barnim said. “We want these questions answered immediately or let’s fire him and move on. “June 11 is when this came to council,” Barnim said. “We deserve answers to our questions at this point.” Van Mierlo-West went one step further, telling councillors that the last time the municipality had heard from its solicitor was at the end of February. Mayor Jim Ginn said municipal staff should bring back some further options for council at the Sept. 27 Committee of the Whole meeting. There was also some confusion surrounding minutes from the meeting. Because the meeting among the government officials, several members of Central Huron Council and the Huron County Planning Department, was not designated as an official meeting of council, there were no official minutes taken. However, Barnim said, Huron County Director of Planning Scott Tousaw was taking extensive notes, Barnim said, and could be tapped as a resource of information from the meeting. Barnim called the meeting a “fact- finding mission” and not an official meeting of council. The meeting came under heavy scrutiny several months ago when dozens of ratepayers and wind turbine opponents flooded council’s chambers at the REACH Centre in Clinton looking for answers from the meeting and asking why the meeting was not made open to the public. Van Mierlo-West and members of Central Huron staff will bring a report back to council at the Sept. 27 Committee of the Whole meeting. RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCCELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENT www.amdsb.ca/CHSS Clinton, Ontario Canada Central Huron Secondary School Please Join Us for our annual Awards Assembly at 9 am Commencement at 7 pm Exercises Friday, October 5 This invitation is extended to all our graduates, their proud parents, relatives, and cheering friends. Graduates, Award Winners and Presenters - please arrive at the school no later than 6:30 p.m. We’ve reserved a seat just forYou! By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen HE to investigate mail-in votes Councillor Les Falconer asked Knight to investigate and report back to council on mail-in ballots before the next election in 2014. Falconer said the procedure of mail-in ballots has already been put into use in Bluewater and has been working well there. Knight said he and the rest of the Huron East staff would look into the possibility. *** Councillor Alvin McLellan reported to council that several ratepayers in Ethel complimented the municipality’s job on placing sidewalks in the village. He thanked council and the public works department for their hard work, saying it was a “long time coming”. *** Council authorized a grant application to the Huron County Heritage Network for up to $5,000 for the renovations at Huron East’s town hall building in Seaforth. Originally an application was being prepared for the Brussels Library, however, as that project has been delayed until 2013 at least, Knight said the application could be changed to accommodate the town hall building. Knight said that ideally the application should feature a project that has not yet begun, but because of the late notice on the delay of the Brussels Library, he said it shouldn’t be an issue. COMMUNITY LIVING Wingham & District 2012 LOTTERY DINNER & DANCE WINNERS EARLY BIRD WINNERS:Jim Kirton; Paul Gebhardt & Susan McLean. $100:Erwin Stone; Barry McArthur; Carol & Wayne Horton; Lois Darling; Lisa McMahon; Ron Kieffer; Richard & Heather Inglis; Judy Finlayson & Nancy Brown. $250:Eileen Clarkson; Ron & Barb Snowden; Marilyn & Kevin Ashley; Ellen McPherson. $500:Larissa Kugler; Dave & Arlene Hills; Rose Weber & Jacinta Wingrove; McDonagh Insurance.$1,000:Bill & Charlene Tolton. Inspiring Possibilities